1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hydraulic coupling members. More particularly, it relates to subsea female coupling members having pressure-energized probe seals.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR §1.97 and §1.98.
A hydraulic coupling is typically comprised of two members—a male member having a probe section and a female member having a receiving chamber. When the hydraulic coupling is made up, the probe section of the male member engages seals within the receiving chamber of the female member to provide a fluid-tight connection.
A variety of subsea hydraulic coupling members having pressure-energized probe seals are known in the art.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,859 discloses an undersea hydraulic coupling and metal seal, primarily for use in undersea hydraulic applications. The female member of the coupling is of three-piece construction. The main body portion accepts a cylindrical retainer which is held captive within the body by means of a spring clip or snap ring. The metal seal is generally ring-shaped and is positioned within the body and held captive by the retainer and clip. The male member, or probe, of the coupling fits within the retainer and body and protrudes through the ring of the metal seal. The seal engages the circumference of the probe and, when the coupling is pressurized, the seal is urged against the probe circumference and against the interior wall of the body, effectuating a fluid seal within the coupling. The metal seal is not irrevocably deformed in use and may be used repeatedly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,668 discloses an integral metal-to-metal seal for a subsea hydraulic connector, the seal having a concave leading face extending from the male member body, the concave leading face having a flexible outer rim which seals against the wall of the female member bore. The outer rim is biased against the wall of the female member bore, and further is responsive to hydraulic pressure to flex against the wall of the female member bore.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,613 discloses a hydraulic coupling having a seal member with an annular flexible metal seal surface for sealing with a male member or probe. The metal seal surface is integral with the seal member and extends into the bore of the female member. The metal seal surface is urged radially inwardly against the male member in response to internal fluid pressure in the coupling.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,099,882 and 5,203,374 disclose a pressure-balanced hydraulic coupling for use in undersea drilling and production operations. The coupling has radial passageways communicating between the male and female members such that substantial fluid pressure is not exerted against the face of either member during coupling or uncoupling or during the coupled state. Check valves in both the male and female members are opened when the male member probe is fully inserted into the receiving chamber of the female member. Mutually opposed valve actuators contact one another to effectuate the simultaneous opening of each check valve, and allow fluid to flow through a valve port and then radially through matching fluid passageways in the male and female members. The radial passageways of the male and female members match up at their longitudinal surfaces so that fluid pressure between the male and female members is in a substantially radial direction and is not exerted at the face of either member. A first pair of seals is positioned on each side of the radial passage for sealing between the receiving chamber and the seal retainer. A second pair of seals is positioned on each side of the radial passage for sealing between the seal retainer and the male member. The seals are pressure-energized metal seals.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,861 discloses an undersea hydraulic coupling with a hollow metal O-ring seal for sealing between the male and female members. The hollow metal O-ring seal is held captive between an internal shoulder and a retainer insertable into the internal bore of the female member. The retainer may be slidable to compress the metal O-ring seal axially. The metal O-ring seal also may be pressure-energized to expand the seal cavity in response to fluid pressure in the coupling.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,909 discloses an undersea hydraulic coupling having a pair of hollow metal seals which are pressure energized to seal between the male and female members of the coupling. One of the hollow metal seals is configured to expand radially while the second hollow metal seal is compressible along the longitudinal axis of the coupling. These seals provide a fluid tight sealing arrangement upon pressurization of the coupling, without the need for external pre-load devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,106 discloses a coupling and metal seal primarily for use in undersea hydraulic applications. The female member of the coupling is of three-piece construction. The main body portion accepts a cylindrical retainer which is held captive within the body by means of a spring clip or snap ring. The metal seal is generally ring-shaped and is positioned within the body and held captive by the retainer and clip. The male member, or probe, of the coupling fits within the retainer and body and protrudes through the ring of the metal seal. The seal engages the circumference of the probe and, when the coupling is pressurized, the seal is urged against the probe circumference and against the interior wall of the body, effectuating a fluid seal within the coupling. The metal seal is not irrevocably deformed in use and may be used repeatedly
U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,499 discloses an undersea hydraulic coupling having a ring-shaped metal seal that is held in place between the female member body and a sleeve-shaped seal retainer. The annular metal seal includes a lip or leg section which is clamped in place between the female member body and the seal retainer. A hollow portion of the seal extends radially inwardly from the lip portion of the seal and is expansible to form a fluid tight seal against the body of the male member. The hollow portion of the metal seal is preferably cylindrical in cross-section and is sufficiently flexible in response to fluid pressure to form a fluid tight seal between the female member, male member, and seal retainer.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,063,328 discloses an undersea hydraulic coupling member with a seal retainer that holds and secures a plurality of annular seals that may be removed from the coupling member together with the seal retainer. At least one of the seals is a pressure energized hollow metal seal. The seal retainer includes a shell that engages the coupling member and a seal carrier that holds the annular seals.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,303,194 discloses an improved seal retainer for an undersea hydraulic coupling member which utilizes pressure-energized metal seals to maintain fluid integrity. One or more metal seals designed to have a press or interference fit are utilized in such a way that pressurized fluid trying to escape past the seal actually helps to pressure-energize the seal to ensure a better seal.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,962,347 discloses a backup, metal, O-ring seal that is retained around the outer diameter of a seal retainer of an undersea hydraulic coupling member to seal a leak path around the seal retainer. The metal O-ring seal may be seated on a shoulder on the seal retainer. The backup metal seal is effective for high temperature and high pressure applications.